


Edelgard

by Tyrux



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Character Study, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Introspection, POV Second Person, Spoilers, Timeline Shenanigans
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-26
Updated: 2020-07-26
Packaged: 2021-03-06 07:27:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,759
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25519525
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tyrux/pseuds/Tyrux
Summary: Three knocks ring at your door in quick succession. “Edie! Some new shipments just arrived at the market. Petra, Bern, and I are heading down, you should join us!”Your mouth opens quickly—there are other matters you have yet to discuss with Hubert tonight. Darker matters than the allegiance of someone you’ve only known for a month.But he looks to you and shakes his head, speaking in a low tone.“There will be time.”You smile, despite yourself. “I’ll be out in a moment, Dorothea.”You are Edelgard von Hresvelg, a student at the Officer’s Academy. For now.The many masks and lives of Edelgard von Hresvelg.
Relationships: Edelgard von Hresvelg & Everyone
Comments: 13
Kudos: 44
Collections: In Time’s Flow





	Edelgard

**Author's Note:**

> This fic was written for the FE3H fan album _In Time's Flow._ I highly recommend listening to its accompanying piece as you read, [_Into the Dawn_](https://fe3hfm.bandcamp.com/track/into-the-dawn) (and check out the rest sometime!)

You are Edelgard von Hresvelg, and it is dark.

You used to be El, but El had six brothers and four sisters. Edelgard von Hresvelg has three brothers and two- no, one.

One sister.

The ones chained closest to El are gone, so now you stare at the spot your sister’s voice comes from in the dark—just out of arm's reach.

A long time ago, on a much brighter day, El asked her sister how she'd know she's ready for what her life will entail, being the heir to the throne (and that, you think, is why she's among the last). You remember her looking down at El with a smile, gripping her hand tight as she spoke.

 _"Every one of us, El,”_ she’d said, _“will meet our crucible. The apex, the events that forge you-"_ (and you remember her poking El's nose playfully, her skin soft and warm) _"-into the person you're meant to be. When that day comes, and you emerge from the flames stronger... That's when you'll know you're ready."_

You think maybe this is your crucible—but the flames are dimming, one by one.

You certainly can't feel any warmth now.

Just the iron around your limbs, and the rats crawling across your feet, and the cold strangling your heart.

This is where fire goes to die.

* * *

You are Edelgard von Hresvelg, a student at the Officer’s Academy.

You’re sitting on the edge of your bed in your dormitory. Hubert is leaning over you, dressing a nick on your back you couldn’t reach—courtesy of a bandit at Zanado. It’s not that you have an issue with faith magic, but…

Well. Hubert is the only one who’s seen your scars, and perhaps he always will be.

“What do you make of the professor?” Hubert says, breaking the silence.

You frown, mind distant from the twinges of pain. “Professor Byleth may not be particularly… worldly, but there is a capable mind behind that blade. A valuable one.”

Hubert hums in satisfaction after a moment and releases you. “Not all paths will align with ours.”

“I am aware,” you sigh, pulling your uniform over your head. “Nonetheless, if the opportunity presents itself-”

Three knocks ring at your door in quick succession. “Edie! Some new shipments just arrived at the market. Petra, Bern, and I are heading down, you should join us!”

Your mouth opens quickly—there are other matters you have yet to discuss with Hubert tonight. Darker matters than the allegiance of someone you’ve only known for a month.

But he looks to you and shakes his head, speaking in a low tone.

“There will be time.”

You smile, despite yourself. “I’ll be out in a moment, Dorothea.”

You are Edelgard von Hresvelg, a student at the Officer’s Academy. For now.

* * *

You are the Flame Emperor.

Hubert has already given the signal. Your mages will begin warping imperial troops into Garreg Mach shortly. For now, it is a waiting game, leaving you to your thoughts.

Once more, you inspect the blade of your axe. It is pristine, just as it was the last time.

The Agarthan armor weighs heavy, but strangely, you feel it is your heart bearing the brunt of it this day.

You can see their faces now, in your mind’s eye. Dorothea, Petra, Bernadetta, Constance. Ferdinand, Caspar, Linhardt, Lysithea.

Your teacher.

The horror. The disgust.

Footsteps draw near, and you slip the helmet over your head. The Flame Emperor has no time to spare on regrets.

Yet the traitorous thought sinks its dagger through your heart.

_I wanted to walk with you. All of you._

* * *

You are Edelgard von Hresvelg, the Adrestian Emperor.

You have been at war for several years now. As both a ruler and a general, you have a monstrously overwhelming number of duties to attend to at all times.

Today, you are being scolded.

“ _Honestly,_ Edelgard,” Lysithea says, ghosting a hand over your bare shoulder as healing magic flows through her fingertips. “What were you thinking, taking a hit like that so recklessly?”

You want to argue back, because you’re _right_ — _your life is no more important than any of theirs._

But the cruel reality is that it is. You must survive, so that you may lead. Fódlan’s new dawn will not rise without you.

 _But,_ you think to yourself with a smile. _At least the road is not quite so lonely._

You may be Emperor, but you have your Black Eagles. You have your friends. It’s… more than you’d ever expected, more than you’d ever allowed yourself to hope for.

And the church is losing ground every day. Save a divine miracle…

Well.

You are Edelgard von Hresvelg, the Adrestian Emperor. For now.

* * *

You are Edelgard von Hresvelg, and you are a _monster._

The fragments of the last Crest Stone crumble to the ground. Six remained unused in Enbarr, and you have shattered them all.

You breathe deep, and close your eyes. You knew it could come to this, one day. Any cost for the future.

Any sacrifice for Fódlan.

You’re at peace, you think.

You hear it before you feel it. The churning of viscous black matter, oozing and undulating in some vague approximation of a heartbeat. It creeps up your legs, your waist, your chest, before it engulfs you entirely.

It does not _take,_ but _gives_ —you _feel_ more, _see_ more, _are_ more. Like the world’s greatest suit of armor, shielding you from human frailty. At last you tower over the throne room, as an emperor aught.

The pain comes too, the fire coursing through your veins in agonizing harmony, but that is nothing new.

You breathe deep, flexing one hand and its elongated, grotesque claws.

You are _strong._

The castle shudders, dust cascading from above. The cries of war echo in the distance. They are coming.

You may live here, and be remembered as a herald of peace.

You may die here, and be remembered as a bloodthirsty tyrant.

It doesn’t really matter.

You understand now.

You are Fódlan’s crucible.

* * *

You are Edelgard von Hresvelg, and…

Aymr pulses in your grasp. Rain scatters across your cloak. Your body burns, and aches.

Dimitri kneels at your feet.

“You will know the regret of my father, who was killed for you! Of my stepmother, who was slain by her own daughter!”

You frown. It was foolish of you to expect reason from him, after all that has happened. Yet, try as you might to crush it, cast it aside…

It has always been in your nature to hope.

It is a nice dream, you think. A peaceful, beautiful world in which the sun glows bright. No cruelty, no wars, no bloodshed. A Dimitri who can smile, an Edelgard who can laugh.

The rain hisses as it slides across Aymr’s surface, raised high. Dimitri closes his eyes, yet his spiteful glare bores into your mind even still as he spits at your feet.

“To the fires of eternity with you-”

_“Oh, uhm… I’m sorry. I couldn’t think of anything better to give you.”_

“-El-”

The axe falls.

In the wake of your victory, the rain serves to mask your tears.

* * *

You are Edelgard von Hresvelg.

It’s the end.

The Immaculate One lets out a roar of defiance, rearing back and unfurling her ivory wings in all her horrific majesty. You pant heavily, taking advantage of precious moments to conserve your strength as Rhea’s monstrous form crumples forward.

_“GIVE IT BACK!”_

Your blood burns with anticipation. The time has come. Humanity has no need for gods, not anymore.

Thus, you should have expected this outcome. Perhaps it was hubris that drove you so far… but even now, at the end of the road, you struggle to see any other path.

The last of your armor crumbles away, and you open your eyes.

It’s hardly befitting of the Emperor to be on her knees before a king. Hubert would have chided her for this, surely. The thought brings a faint smile to your face as Dimitri extends his hand.

You are no fool. He still holds Areadbhar in his right, its jagged image cutting across your vision like a beam of light. You leap to the side, crimson cloak billowing against the force of the attack. You spring forward, heart thundering in your chest before you _leap-_

_I’m ending this once and for all._

Dimitri stares down at you and your eyes meet, just for a moment—blue, no, green eyes glancing towards you soar through the sky at your teacher’s side. A silent nod, a wordless question, stolen moments of freedom before crashing back to reality. Your grip tightens on the hilt.

You are-

“El…”

“El.”

_SCHHT_

* * *

You awaken slowly, vision bleary against the bright light cascading around you.

You rise to your feet unsteadily, noting the lack of your usual weighty armor. It is a surprising, yet welcome relief.

Birdsong echoes through the sparse trees of the sunlit glade. Grass tickles the edges of your boots. Rolling hills stretch into the distance. A stream babbles from somewhere nearby.

Taking in the pristine beauty, you wonder for a moment if you are alone.

“Lady Edelgard,” a familiar voice intones, rapidly dispelling that illusion.

At first you raise the back of your hand to stifle your chuckle, but there’s little point, is there?

To laugh so freely is... liberating.

“Hello, Hubert,” you greet with a smile.

“Edie!” a voice calls from not far off. “Nice of you to finally join us!” Dorothea’s green eyes sparkle radiantly, before turning to the woods to wave Petra over.

“Edelgard’s here?” you hear Caspar’s voice echo from just beyond a rise. “About time!”

The rest of them trickle in quickly from there. Caspar bounds into view, dragging a yawning Linhardt in his wake. Constance grins broadly from beneath the shade of a towering oak. Lysithea crests the hill, hands raised animatedly as she speaks to Bernadetta, who gives you a small wave. Ferdinand has begun to brazenly proclaim something or other to Hubert, who (to your small burst of surprise) is smiling in response.

“Edelgard.”

You turn to the face of your teacher, smiling warmly.

“I’m glad you’re with us.”

You nod slowly, and speak honestly.

“As am I, my teacher.”

Maybe you are alive, or maybe you are dead.

But, as your teacher reaches for your hand, and you feel the warmth of the sun radiating through you (and it feels like _family,_ and it feels like _peace)_ , you begin to think it doesn’t really matter either way.

You’re Edelgard.

You’re home.


End file.
